Balsy

People want to be a part of something, to have an identity with something. If you have piss-poor alumni who aren't active, who don't care about being active, it spawns piss-poor students who don't care to be apart of it. I'm not saying all Alumni need to be active, but those who care (or at least pretend to care), do need to be.

They also used to run out onto the field.

I'm impressed with what Amato and company did with the defense this year. On a scale of 1-10 on the improvement from last year, it's probably a 9, if not a 10. This team is looking up for sure, and Luke Fickell...I'm so glad hes not our head coach.

What I'm saying is: that's a good thing. However, we're not going to see the increase in attendance until those years. Appalachian St. Good big name. Marshall, good big name. Pitt, good big name. Next year I'm actually anxious to see the attendance because we stand a good chance of starting 1-0, something I've never seen since I've been following the Zips. From a student's perspective: Evening games to late afternoon games are better for student attendance. And the attendance numbers show that explicitly. Less students attend the early games.

For those concerned about attendance, take a look at this stat: The Big Dialer has been open for five seasons now (09, 10, 11, 12, 13). And attendance has been (of course) rather lax. However 2013 is the best average attendance of home games since the stadium was built. AVERAGE ATTENDANCE PER YEAR 2009: 17,382. 2010: 10,184 2011: 15,734 2012: 9,275 2013: 17,850 Now I know this doesn't translate into "butts in seats"...or if these numbers are even real...but I do think they hold value in the amount of support that we're receiving from the community. From being at games since 2009, I'd have to say that an increase in attendance was visible. More games appeared to have more involvement (and were thus somewhat more fun) from my modest student seating. There are two things I can think of that would increase attendance: Schedule more late afternoon/evening games early in the season. Schedule bigger name opponents (and actually beat them) And schedule the Can't v Akron game earlier in the season. Lets be honest: if Joe Akron is not going to come to a noon or 1:00 or 2:00 Saturday afternoon game. Joe Akron is going to be watching State Ohio or other Saturday afternoon business. Our best chance is to catch Joe Akron when both of those things would be close to being done.

100% agree. But how do we reverse that? I've spent my college career trying to get other students out to support the Zips, and to support the Zips above any others. I and my friends were always in the minority. I went to an OSU watch party today and wore my zips jersey. People ask me why and I tell them "because I'm a Zip". I think it starts with building the community. Akron doesn't have a sense of community. I don't think I've ever encountered Alumni involvement (outside...I regrettably say...pathetic little sports support groups) with current students. And I'm sorry, but that's EXTREMELY important to the legitimacy of being whatever it is that you are. Alumni breed the tradition, breed the respect, the honor and the drive to be or to want to be that. Winning will help with attendance: but we Alumni have got to be more involved with the UA community.

It was not first and goal. It was third and one. I was there, I remember. The pass was completed on second down, should have been a first down...and was originally called a first down...the refs stopped to do a review (after time ticked away) an then said it was third and inches on the one. We lost on a 4th down play.

I'm really excited about next year! I graduate in December, what an exciting way to end my college career. Saw this program go into the dark ages, and then climb back out again. Can't wait to be a season ticket holder!

I am genuinely excited about this too! We have a legitimate to a good season next year! I'm not saying this is going to be a win...(hence dooming us with a curse)...but this is a much more winnable game than we've had in recent years. a 1-0 start to a season with a 4 game winning streak (across two seasons) can be all the difference for this program. I may make TWO road trips next year to both Pitt and Penn State next year.

As I said before. I stand by my original statement. Akron was playing for just as much as Toledo. Moral Victories go a LONG way when you have a good coach, and players whom are hungry enough to win. Akron has not had a 5-7 season since 2007. That's not motivation enough for the seniors than what is?

I completely agree. Though I had hopes of the Zips winning one of those "Big" games vs. MTSU or SMC...I'm not in a panic. It makes me wonder if anyone ever actually watched this team last year. Yes were 26-7, but did you guys actually watch the games...not read box scores. When we were on the 19 game winning streak I distinctly remember growing grey hairs watching the team look horrible. They looked horrible for the first half of a lot of games last season, going into half time with (at many times) a deficit, if not a small margin over a terrible team. I guess what I'm saying here is; nothing else matters but the W or the L. All else is secondary.

I'm glad you have a soft spot for the Zips . However, Akron's going to pull off the upset.

So what happens if it's still tied after OT? What's the rule on advancing after OT tied?...sorry I'm ignorant when it comes to NCAA Tournament soccer rules...

I agree with this 100%. Every single time I hear coach talk, and read about what he has to say I get the implication and the feeling (though I understand feelings are irrelevant), that this is it for him. If he can't get it to work here than he's done. If he can get it to work here, he's done and will continue to ride that success. For our sake, I hope (and subsequently believe of course) that Akron is the last bastion for the Bowden boys.

Absolutely agree. At the time we were all very upset about the loss to the UCF Knights...now I don't thing it's that bad of a loss.

1. Yes absolutely. This year we not only beat the teams we were supposed to (something we failed to do last year *cough* Miami *cough* FIU), but we also played better teams to the last play of the game on three occasions: Michigan, ULL, NIU. 2. I'm always overly optimistic, but I see a 7-5 season next year. 3. It plays a HUGE roll. We've got to slowly make progress to competing in our own conference before we can consider being better. Conference play is going to determine if we get a Bowl game or not without getting to the MACC. 4. Defense and Recruiting; and I expect both to be sustainable.

I've said it before and I'll say it again (despite many people probably thinking I'm crazy) Bowden will end his coaching career at Akron.

I still stand by my original statement.

Has anyone been watching MTB1? Most of the time he's in I don't get to see him...is he impressing, depressing or about where we would expect him to be?

We always get hosed...I unfortunately have not been able to make it to a Soccer game this season. Consider Thursday's my first of the year, and the car will be filled with people I'm bringing. Go Zips!

Because Toledo stands a chance to beat...NIU? And Toledo is already bowl eligible. I'll take playing for a moral victory from an underrated underdog to an overrated non-coference championship contender looking for a bowl game (whom already qualifies for a bowl).

The Zips have much more to play for than the Rockets. Zips stick out the victory! We've been knocking on upset's door all year, now we pull it off!

Double Lol. Though I'm EXTREMELY disappointed in the Zips, we should back up from the cliff. St. Mary's will be a top-25 team (mark my words) will win the Hawaii Classic later. We've got to focus taking care of every game up to that point. Oral Robert, Detroit (who we unfortunately lost to last year), and then focus on being one of the three teams that can go 2-1 in Hawaii. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there are 8 teams...1 will go 3-0, 1 will go 0-3...3 will go 2-1 and the other three will go 1-2. We better make sure we're NOT the one of the teams that goes 0-3 or 1-2. Period.

We are missing way to many shots. We're not going to win games shooting 48%. We're especially not going to win games if we're shooting 5-19 in three point shots. We've got to make a couple of those. By my recollection, there were 3-4 OPEN 3 shots that we missed. That's just absolutely unacceptable. that's 9 points left on the court, not to mention the layups we should have made.

So I go from watching that disappointing WBB finish yesterday, to the absolutely unacceptable almost-loss football game, to this non-sense.